Staff

A fierce champion for girls and young people, she leads EMpower’s global vision across 15 countries, driving the organisation’s next chapter of bold growth, deeper impact, and sector-shaping influence. With an unwavering belief in the power of young people’s voices, Nisha is committed to ensuring that EMpower continues to stand for courage, equity, possibility, and proximity to community-led solutions.

Previously EMpower’s Vice President of Impact & Influence, Nisha has spent over a decade shaping the organisation’s DNA. Since joining in 2012, she has served as Country Director for India; Director of the Adolescent Girls and Gender Initiatives; and Senior Programme Officer for India and Regional Advisor for Asia. Across these roles, she collaborated closely with grantee partners, young people, and the global programme team to reimagine EMpower’s programming—centering the voice, choice, leadership, and lived experiences of girls and youth. She was instrumental in designing initiatives such as the Adolescent Girls Learning Community and the Girls Advisory Council, both of which have become global exemplars of meaningful youth engagement.

Nisha’s career began in London at Deutsche Bank and Barclays, where she managed relationships with financial regulators and exchanges. Her journey from finance to feminist leadership reflects her deep conviction that sustainable change happens when we invest in girls, trust young leaders, and allow community wisdom to guide philanthropy and programming. A TEDx speaker, she has shared this passion widely, advocating for the need to meaningfully listen to, learn from, and elevate girls’ voices.

Nisha holds a PhD in Sociology from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, where her research focused on how non-traditional livelihoods advance gender equity. She also holds an MSc in Gender, Development and Globalisation from the London School of Economics and a BA (Hons.) in International Politics and Women’s Studies from McGill University in Montreal.

At her core, Nisha is energised by the dreams of young people—especially girls—and by the audacity with which they imagine new futures. She believes that joy, solidarity, and collective imagination are among the most powerful forces for social change.